Energy plans for seniors

Fact Checked

Specific electricity plans for seniors

Here’s what several energy retailers, including some of Australia’s biggest power companies, have to offer seniors and pensioners.

AGL Seniors plan

AGL is one of the first energy providers in Australia with electricity plans specific to seniors.

Seniors and pensioners in NSW, VIC, SA and QLD can sign up for the AGL Seniors plan, which comes with:

• Competitively low rates
• Additional sign-up bill credit
• AGL Rewards program with discounts on lifestyle products
• No lock-in contract
• Exit fees
• Solar feed-in tariffs
• Paper or email bills

This plan offers a reasonable amount off the reference price in each state.

AGL also provides a seniors offer for natural gas customers in Western Australia, where customers receive a guaranteed discount off their gas usage charges.

Our comparison tool below conveniently lists all of AGL’s Senior energy plans in each state.

EnergyAustralia seniors

Eligible seniors who sign up for an energy plan with EnergyAustralia will receive an exclusive discount.

If you hold a Pensioner Concession or Seniors card, visit the EnergyAustralia website to apply for the seniors discount as you sign up for a new plan. You can also call EnergyAustralia for assistance.

All EnergyAustralia deals are also compatible with state government senior concessions and rebates.

To do this, you will need to access your  ‘My Account’ hub on EnergyAustralia’s website and update your details. Once you’re done, your electricity concession should take immediate effect.

For further assistance, feel free to contact EnergyAustralia.

ENGIE energy seniors

Engie (formerly known as Simply Energy) offers Senior cardholders the ‘Engie Seniors’ gas and electricity plans. Eligible customers can enjoy the following benefits:

• Lowered usage and supply rates
• No transaction or paper bill fees
• No lock-in contracts or exit fees
• Welcome bill credit when available
• Full carbon offset

Currently, Canstar Blue does not compare the ‘Engie Seniors’ plan. If you’re interested in signing up for the Engie Seniors plan, please visit Engie’s website or give the retailer a call.

What to look out for with energy plans for seniors

If you’re a pensioner shopping around for senior-friendly deals, we recommend looking out for the following:

Understanding your energy usage

To select the right energy plan for your needs, it’s important to clearly understand your energy usage habits before committing.

There are two foolproof ways to monitor your energy habits:

• Check your recent energy bills: Be sure to check your energy bills to find out how much power you’re using and how it compares to other households in your neighbourhood.
• Install an electricity usage monitor: Energy monitors allow you to track your electricity usage in real-time, giving you an accurate snapshot of your day-to-day consumption.

Consider their usage rates

Electricity plans consist of two main charges: usage and supply. Energy providers typically compensate for low supply rates with higher usage rates, and vice versa.

Whether or not an energy plan with higher or lower usage rates is better for you depends on your energy usage patterns:

• Low energy usage:  If you’re a senior or pensioner, you may be using less electricity than the younger folks. If so, it’ll save you more to look for an electricity deal with lower supply charges. These are the daily fixed charges you pay to remain connected to the grid.
• High energy usage: Conversely, seniors tend to spend more time at home than their younger counterparts. They may have an increased energy usage to maintain a base level of comfort. In this scenario, we suggest settling for a plan with lower usage rates.

Another important thing to consider is the size of your household, which impacts how you’re billed for your energy usage:

• Smaller households: Supply charges will typically make up a larger proportion of your power bill.
• Larger households: Usage charges generally make up a higher proportion of your overall bill.

Cheaper than the reference price

We recommend finding a plan with a higher percentage off the reference price or Victorian Default Offer (VDO) over a plan with value-added incentives.

Conditional discounts

If you decide to go with a plan offering a conditional discount, it’s best you find an electricity plan that has a benefit period of at least two years, so you won’t lose the discount for 24 months.

Some retailers even offer ongoing discounts, but don’t fall into the set-and-forget trap of assuming that you’re always going to be getting a great deal.

However, while conditional discounts are enticing at first glance, they may be hiding inflated usage and supply charges. That’s why it always pays to study a plan’s energy fact sheet carefully before making a move.

Compare cheap energy plans

A cheap electricity plan for seniors and pensioners will likely have low usage charges, assuming that the household will generally not consume as much power as households with several occupants or kids, for example. With this in mind, we have trawled our energy database to show some examples of the cheapest plans in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, but you should treat these as examples only. These are not energy plans for seniors per se, but some of the cheapest deals on our database for all consumers. Use our comparison tool above for a specific comparison in your area.

Energy concessions for seniors

Each state government offers a discount to Pensioner Concession Card or Seniors Card holders:

• In NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, and the ACT,  you must have an active Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) to be eligible for their respective rebates.
• In NT and TAS, you must have an active Department of Veterans Affairs Pension Concession Card (DVA PCC) to be eligible for their respective energy concessions.

The name, value and eligibility requirements of these concessions will differ between states.

Be sure to check your state government’s website to confirm what discounts may be available and if you’re eligible for them.

Source: State government websites, August 2025.

Additional rebates may also be available to electricity account holders with low incomes and health conditions. Visit Canstar Blue’s guide to energy rebates for further information.

How to find the best deal on energy

Older customers are often the most loyal, but when it comes to energy supply, loyalty usually doesn’t pay.

Typically, market offers cheaper than the reference price (or Victorian Default Offer) in your state have a specified benefit period of 12 months.

If you’ve been with the same electricity retailer for several years, then your previous electricity plan is likely to have long expired.

If your plan has indeed expired, by default, you’ll be moved onto your retailer’s standing offer plan where you’ll most likely be paying much more than you were before. The best energy deals are typically reserved for new customers.

Always make sure that you’re getting the best electricity deal by following the checklist below:

• Get in touch with your existing retailer and ask for their ‘best offer’ – you can also find this by checking your most recent power bill.
• Don’t forget about your concessions. Be sure to check your power bills to make sure you’re receiving all the rebates and discounts you’re entitled to.
• More importantly, we strongly recommend you regularly compare offers, plans and providers. Switching providers may shave more dollars off future power bills. 

Compare electricity providers